Pride Book 1: Last One Standing
by DarknessLightshadow
Summary: In these mountains, the average life revolves around dignity and honor. Cats here will do whatever it takes to be respected by their tribe's superiors. Hawk is the only exception.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

The gray, shadowy mountains were silent. No sign of prey, no sound of predator. Not even a slight breeze to stir the calmness. Even the dark clouds appeared motionless. The snowy peaks seemed too quiet, almost suspicious.

The cats of the Tribe of Burning Clouds were sleeping peacefully and dreamlessly. Nothing moved except the rise and fall of their chests. The whole world looked to be soundless and still.

One of the countless cats stirred, blinking sleep from his eyes. One of the Tribe's greatest hunters, he was young, powerful and agile. Although his pelt was completely black, he expertly slid from shadow to shadow, blending in to the dark mountains. This tom's name was, actually, Shadow. But the Tribe of Burning Clouds knew him as Asura, the spiritual one, the healer.

Asura rose from his nest of dark moss and black feathers, which added to the unusual darkness of the night. He immediately left his den without the slightest backward glance. This wasn't normal for Asura, but that night was different. That night, there was a growing tension in the air.

Asura stepped outside the Tribe's camp and looked around, sniffing the air. He stiffened as a single she-cat came into view. Asura knew that this was Angeni, the Tribe of Stormy Skies' spiritual healer. He wondered what she could possibly be doing out here, as she didn't seem to be threatening his Tribe. She looked alone, her bright golden pelt dappled with shadows.

Angeni stared down into the depression in the mountain rock where the Tribe of Burning Clouds resided. She noticed Asura watching her suspiciously, but she didn't care. She was too caught up in her own thoughts, thoughts of the Tribes' rivalry. Thoughts of how the Tribe of Burning Clouds was managing much better than the Tribe of Stormy Skies. Angeni watched Asura's shadowy shape pace back and forth defensively. _I'm not looking for a battle,_ Angeni thought with a small sigh. _My cats have too much to worry about without their healer being injured._

Asura slowly padded up the slope and out of the large dent in the mountain. He noticed Angeni take a step back and advanced more slowly. When he was almost at the ridge above his camp, he spoke.

"What right does the healer of my enemy tribe have to be prowling my territory in the middle of the night?"

Angeni took another step back. "I have no intention of harming your Tribe, Asura," she said calmly. "I'm out here because I need to find someplace to think sometimes."

"So the perfect place to think happens to be overlooking my camp?" Asura said challengingly, stepping up to face his enemy.

Angeni took a third step backwards. She glared at Asura and said angrily, "Why do our Tribes have to be enemies? Why do you have to add to our problems all the time?"

"The only problem you have is that you aren't as powerful and stable as me!" Asura scoffed. He didn't believe Angeni's claim of needing someplace calm to travel into deep thought. Asura leaped onto Angeni's shoulders, claws extended.

Angeni hissed and threw him off with great effort. She knew she was already weak and unprepared for a battle, but she was determined to show this pesky tom how strong she really was. Angeni spun around and raked her claws down Asura's side. The black cat growled with anger and frustration and unbalanced Angeni.

It was then that Angeni realized it wouldn't be a good idea to fight on a narrow ridge. She felt rock crumble beneath one back paw and turned around. Asura had her trapped, had her on the edge of the ridge. Angeni knew she couldn't risk her life being arrogant to her enemy. She gathered all her strength, leaped over Asura, and shamefully fled.

Asura purred with satisfaction. He knew Angeni was weaker than him. He knew she was more troubled and less at peace than him. He knew the Great Spirits hadn't been responding to her calls for guidance. Asura was proud of himself and his Tribe, and glad that he knew all of these things.

However, there was one thing Asura didn't know. He didn't know that the tension he felt in the air wasn't caused by an enemy on his territory. He didn't realize that something was coming. Something was about to change the lives of the cats forever.


	2. Chapter 2

A golden-brown tabby watched the sunrise, alone. She had been alone for many, many moons, but she still couldn't get used to the feeling. She was the only cat left of the Tribe of Striking Rivers, neighboring the other two Tribes. Now, she wandered uncharted territory alone, trying to convince herself she was a brave, strong cat.

Sometimes, though, she felt horribly alone and weak. Her Tribe used to be large, with cats helping and relying on one another. It was just her now, hunting whatever prey she could find and hoping she didn't wander into enemy territory.

The sun rose above the horizon as the tabby gazed around at her surroundings. She felt loose grass under her paws. She stared out at the mountain tops. It reminded her of her old home, where-

"Hawk, the past is in the past. You're alone. No other cats are here," the tabby muttered to herself. Moments later, a screech roused Hawk from her thoughts. An eagle had landed on a nearby precipice and was watching her.

Hawk's heart raced as she slowly backed away into a shadow. She had no one to help her battle the huge bird if it attacked her. She thought about trying to catch it as prey, but she was intimidated by the eagle's large wings and sharp talons. She could imagine those talons sinking into her flesh, tearing her apart, making her too weak to even struggle...

Hawk shook herself. Long ago, she had made a decision that changed the course of her life. She had believed in herself then. If she was okay then, she was okay now. Hawk scented a rabbit seconds later and followed the scent trail away from the eagle, being careful so she wasn't noticed by either creature. She spotted the rabbit nibbling on a blade of grass and started to figure out the best angle to approach it from. Suddenly, the rabbit gave Hawk a startled look and hopped away.

Hawk sighed. She had never been the best hunter. When she lived with other cats, she relied on them quite a bit. She sometimes felt guilty that she didn't work as hard as other cats in her Tribe, but she pushed the feeling away. Things were different now that Hawk was alone.

At that moment, though, she didn't feel alone. Of course, there were the Great Spirits guiding her, but Hawk felt the presence of another living creature nearby. She sniffed the air deeply and scented a cat not too far away. She cautiously padded toward the scent, wondering if it could be a former member of her Tribe, one that had left.

The other cat came into view. His fur was darker than the night, and his pale blue eyes glittered with hostility. Snarling, he said to Hawk, "Another trespasser I have to drive away." Hawk stood still, wondering what she should do. She hadn't seen another cat in so long, and she couldn't think straight.

"I-I'm from the Tribe of Striking Rivers," Hawk stuttered. The black cat sharply sighed. "The Tribe of Striking Rivers no longer exists. All of its members decided they wanted to try and impress another Tribe," he said rather casually. Hawk twitched an ear. "I know, I'm the only one left."

The black cat growled. "You expect me to believe that there's still a cat loyal to an empty Tribe? Every cat decided there was something better than supporting a failing group!"

Hawk straightened herself, making her look stronger. She said bravely, "If you're going to criticize my Tribe, you're going to leave here with some wounds." Hawk's amber eyes glowed, reflecting the love she felt toward her once-strong Tribe.


	3. Chapter 3

Asura was taken aback by the strange cat's reaction. Really, all Asura wanted was to avoid another fight. He just wanted to wander around his territory for a while and go back to his peaceful camp. He had just insulted the tabby because he wanted her off his territory, not because he was looking for a fight. Asura noted how strong the tabby seemed and decided he very much wanted to avoid another fight.

"Alright, I'm sorry, I'm just in a bad mood. Leave my territory," growled Asura. The tabby looked at him curiously and replied, "My name is Hawk. I was once part of the Tribe of Striking Rivers, but the group grew weak and moved away." Asura looked at Hawk blankly. "Look, I'm not trying to be friendly or anything, and I already know most of that information. Why are you in my territory?" hissed Asura, taking a few steps forward.

"I didn't mean to wander into your territory. I'm just looking for another place to live," said Hawk indifferently. Asura tilted his head. "So you're looking for another group to join? I hate to say it, but the Spirits say that any cat who wants to join a different group can take a test to see if they qualify, in terms of spirit and skill," he meowed.

Asura mewed with amusement at the horrified look on Hawk's face. "I would never want to join another Tribe! Living by myself with the former honor of my own Tribe is better than joining another and giving that up!" she said indignantly. "No need to panic, it was just a suggestion," Asura said calmly, again with a hint of amusement in his voice. "I don't understand why you would want to be alone, but I'm not you, so...just leave my territory."

Hawk sighed with frustration and almost turned to leave, but Asura had stiffened. Hawk scented another cat not far behind her and turned around. A bright golden cat was visible, emerging from behind a large rock. Asura growled strongly, saying, "How many enemies will trespass before I can go on my way?" The golden cat started to come toward Asura and Hawk, a slightly desperate look in her blue-green eyes. Asura noticed this and his anger was replaced by suspicion.

"Angeni, could you just leave my territory? I'm getting tired from driving you and Hawk away!" Asura said impatiently. Angeni ignored him and continued to walk toward Asura and Hawk. Hawk sensed a wave of anxiety crashing through Asura. She was surprised, because Asura seemed so strong and stable. Angeni took a shuddering breath when she reached the others. "One of my strongest warriors...Wing...was killed by an eagle..." Angeni said slowly. "It makes me realize...just how weak I am...I can't support a Tribe...we grow weaker each sunrise...soon my Tribe may see their final sunset..."

Hawk felt sympathy for Angeni, even though she was a former enemy, along with Asura. It was so long ago that none of them remembered well. Asura sighed. "So what do you want, anyway?" he said grumpily. Angeni's eyes grew more desperate. "I...I came to ask for assistance...you probably don't see me as trustworthy, but-"

"Why should I help you? Our Tribes were always against each other!" Asura interrupted. Hawk felt very conflicted. She had just run into other cats for the first time in moons, and tension had to rise. Angeni shook her head slowly and turned to Hawk. "Asura mentioned your name was Hawk, right? Why are you here?" Angeni questioned. Asura cut through the conversation again by saying, "Hawk's here because she wandered into my territory. She seems bright, spirited, and proud of being alone. She's still loyal to the fallen Tribe of Striking Rivers." There was a note of annoyance in his meow. Angeni nodded slowly and looked at Hawk again. Hawk noticed that Angeni looked determined, even through her grief. Asura whispered to Hawk, "Can I talk to you privately for a moment?"

Angeni looked curious to see the two of them talking alone. Asura said, "You will hate me after this, but I promise I have good reason." Hawk was surprised. She wondered what Asura could possibly be talking about. "Asura, what do you-" Hawk started. Asura interrupted yet again, "Do you trust the guidance of the Spirits or not?" He started walking back to Angeni, leaving Hawk confused.

"What were you discussing...?" Angeni mewed hesitantly. Asura said airily, "Hawk would like to join the Tribe of Burning Clouds and help you through your tragedy." Hawk was outraged. She had specifically told Asura she didn't want to join another Tribe! She hid her anger, waiting for a reaction from Angeni. Angeni looked hopeful and spirited, the way Hawk was most of the time. "Really? You would help me?" Angeni said to Hawk. Hawk looked back and forth from Asura to Angeni. Angeni looked ten times more determined than before, and Asura looked amused again.

Hawk knew she couldn't refuse to help this broken Tribe and its healer. Although she wanted to go on with her life as it already was, she knew she couldn't be alone forever. Also, she could just promise herself to keep the confidence she had in herself and her past Tribe. She wouldn't let this change her spirit too much.

"Yes, I'll assist you in any way you need," Hawk replied to Angeni, after quickly glaring at Asura. Admittedly, Hawk wanted to help the Tribe of Burning Clouds. She was considered a loner, not exactly an enemy now. Surely she could make a good impression on the Tribe.

Angeni looked more spirited than ever as she nodded goodbye to Asura and led Hawk toward her territory. Hawk sighed to herself. She was just getting used to being alone with no cats to help her. Now, she was with other cats that she could help. It was a sudden change, it happened so quickly. Despite her anxiety and fear, Hawk promised herself she would do something other than stay loyal to the Tribe of Striking Rivers. She promised herself she would stop the Tribe of Burning Clouds from completely falling apart. Hawk had to stay hopeful, fearless, and strong in spirit for her two Tribes.


	4. Chapter 4

Hawk wondered what sort of trouble had come to the Tribe of Burning Clouds. Angeni appeared a little unstable, but Hawk believed she was a strong and dedicated leader. Hawk had never learned about how the other two Tribes worked. She had just focused on protecting the Tribe of Striking Rivers. She wondered how the Tribe of Burning Clouds appointed their leaders. Maybe one day soon Hawk would find out.

The mountain rock soon transitioned into hard dirt, with small clumps of grass growing. Hawk's paws were starting to get tired, and she hoped the camp wasn't much farther. She was still surprised that the healer of a suffering Tribe was so desperate she would trust a lone stranger. The camp soon came into view, built on flat land at the top of a slope. Hawk looked over at Angeni. She was padding along quietly with her head down, looking hopeless. Hawk felt a stab of pity for the golden she-cat. It probably wasn't her fault her Tribe was grief-stricken, but she must feel like it was.

Angeni led Hawk up the slope leading to her camp. A brown and white tom guarded the entrance, which was a woven curtain of long grass. "Hello, Angeni," the guard meowed. "Who is this cat with you?" Hawk sensed sadness and slight fear in the tom's steady voice. "Dust, this is Hawk, formerly of the Tribe of Striking Rivers. I found her wandering alone. She agreed to help us through our trouble," replied Angeni. Dust scoffed and said, "You're just going to trust a random loner with the future of our Tribe? I thought you were more reasonable than that!" Angeni ignored him and pushed through the entrance. Hawk followed her and gasped at the sight of the camp.

No part of it was fit for living in. The dens of rock and grass were dry and weathered. They seemed like they could fall apart at any moment. The grass surrounding the camp was overgrown and unkempt. A group of silent cats sat in the middle of the depressing camp, thinking hard and waiting for ideas to come to them. Angeni sighed. "Come with me into my den, Hawk," she said tiredly. She motioned for Hawk to follow and entered the largest den. As Hawk passed the cats in the center, they stared at her. The other cats had seen Hawk enter with Angeni and were curious. Angeni had never brought a cat outside the Tribe into the camp before, and the Tribe members were surprised. Some were hopeful, others suspicious, and others just plain curious. What purpose did the strange cat have here? Would things get better or worse? The meeting of cats watched Hawk as she disappeared into Angeni's den.

Angeni's den looked just as worn as the rest of the camp did. Late-afternoon sunlight streamed through the roof of grass and branches, making Angeni's golden pelt shine. Hawk examined the cracked stones used for the den's wall. She already had many ideas concerning the improvement of the camp, and she was kind of excited to start putting things into action. Angeni sat down in the middle of the den. Hawk noticed that in the middle of the den roof was a hole, so extra sunlight reached Angeni, making her bright fur glow even brighter. Hawk thought the sun made Angeni look greater, more powerful. Hawk felt powerful herself, taking on a challenge that seemed impossible. Both cats were ready to heal the hurt Tribe.

"What happened to the Tribe of Burning Clouds, anyway?" questioned Hawk. Angeni sighed and responded, "We'll get into that story later. You may have noticed that our camp is in terrible condition..." She trailed off, looking away. Hawk flicked her tail across Angeni's shoulder in a friendly, reassuring way. "You were quick to trust me, Angeni. I promise you have good reason for trusting me. If working on the camp is what you want to do first, that's what we'll do," Hawk said. Angeni appeared considerably happier at Hawk's words. Letting out a hopeful purr, Hawk stared into Angeni's eyes and saw her own determination reflected.

When the two left the den significantly happier, the Tribe's warriors noticed. The suspicion felt by a few of the cats was replaced by hope. Angeni led Hawk to the edge of the camp, where there was a stone platform. Hawk assumed that this was where Angeni addressed her Tribe from. Every cat immediately gathered when Angeni stepped onto the platform with Hawk at her side. Hawk felt twice as powerful. All these spiritless cats looking hopeful, because she arrived to help them. She straightened herself and tried to look like the true leader she knew she was. A beam of the fading sunlight fell onto Hawk, making her feel even brighter.

"Cats of the Tribe of Burning Clouds!" started Angeni. "This is Hawk. She was a loner, and she used to be part of the Tribe of Striking Rivers before it fell apart." Hawk sighed to herself. _I still am a loner, and I still am part of the Tribe of Striking Rivers. I'm just here because your Tribe is suffering, and because of Asura._ Angeni continued speaking to her perplexed Tribe. "I have reason to trust her to help us, and-" She was cut off by a yowl from one of her cats. "No one can help us! The Great Spirits have cursed us! We're destined to fall apart!" the pale gray warrior said despairingly. Hawk was unnerved by her words. Would the Spirits really curse an entire Tribe? And, if they did, was there a good explanation? Angeni's quiet mew jerked Hawk from her thoughts. "Hawk, could you take Sky into my den while I finish explaining your purpose?" she asked. Hawk looked at the confused Tribe, and then at the gray she-cat, who looked like she was in total shock. Hawk figured that this was the only cat in the Tribe that didn't have faith in any kind of assistance. "Yeah, I'll take her to your den," she replied to Angeni after a pause. She jumped off the platform and guided the cat, Sky, to Angeni's den.

Sky took several quick, deep breaths when she settled into the den. When she looked calmer, Hawk asked the question that was consuming her. "Can...Can you tell me what happened to your Tribe?" Sky stared at the ground. "It kind of started with the life story of one cat. Her name was Wing, and...and she was recently taken by an eagle," she said, choking with grief. Hawk remembered that Wing was the cat Angeni had spoken of when she traveled to the Tribe of Stormy Skies' territory. "Was there anything...different about Wing..?" Hawk asked Sky hesitantly. She didn't know why the question came to her, but she knew she would understand better if she got a good response. Sky's bright eyes shone with memories. "She was brilliant. She was a great hunter and a great fighter. But she was also the most spiritual of the Tribe members. She...she spoke of a dream...where she communicated with the Great Spirits," Sky mewed sadly. Hawk didn't need to hear any more to understand. Wing's life story, talking to the Spirits, the Tribe possibly cursed by the spirits...it made sense in a terrifying way. Something had happened with this cat's life that eventually weakened the Tribe of Burning Clouds.


	5. Chapter 5

Sky closed her eyes and entered her thoughts. She, and all the other Tribe members, had thought Wing was slightly insane. Wing was just an average cat. The Great Spirits definitely wouldn't speak to an average cat for no good reason. Sky felt her heart beat faster and harder with the weight of the thoughts she was having. _What if there was a reason? The ominous dreams Wing talked about...one would think she was a Great Spirit herself. But that's a crazy idea. I don't believe the Spirits would really do that. However, all of this misfortune happened to our Tribe...Angeni told us a dream_ she _had...I also can't believe Angeni would trust a loner enough to bring her into the camp. Should I trust Hawk...?_

She realized Hawk was watching her expectantly and shook herself. Sky trusted Angeni, and Angeni trusted Hawk. Sky sighed and continued explaining Wing's story. "Her dream...she said there was a great cat...a Great Spirit. Wing said the spirit spoke to her, but she wouldn't tell any cat what it spoke of. Maybe some kind of omen or tragedy..." Sky paused and Hawk questioned, "What sort of tragedy struck your Tribe after this happened?" Sky heard the concern in Hawk's meow. _Maybe I_ _can trust her. Maybe she'll find a way to help._ "Cats started dying. We couldn't figure out the causes of some deaths. Prey became scarce. The stream in our territory flooded half the land. Our camp started falling apart. Almost the whole Tribe believed we were cursed," Sky answered quietly. Hawk was thunderstruck. There still wasn't any good reason for the Spirits to curse the Tribe of Burning Clouds. "Can you tell me any more about Wing?" Hawk asked, putting her head to one side.

"She became horribly sick a few sunrises after the dream," Sky went on. "She was really sad, not motivated enough to hunt or patrol or anything. Angeni tried to heal her, not realizing that the illness was in her spirit. It was destroying her mind from inside." Hawk didn't know how to react to Sky's words. Her description of Wing's sickness touched her in a way she didn't know was possible. "And then...she was killed?" Hawk said after hesitating. "Yes, an eagle took her recently, but there was something before that...Angeni shared a prophetic dream she had. It was rather similar to the way Wing told hers, but something was different," said Sky, staring at the den wall blankly. Hawk looked horrified and interested at the same time. Sky sighed before continuing, "She said a Spirit also spoke to her, but the surroundings were different. Wing described her dream taking place in a burnt, abandoned forest. Angeni described hers in a bright setting. There were bushes and trees, and the grass was growing tall." After a pause, Sky added, "She...she really seems to trust you, Hawk. Maybe her dream was bright because you could help us." Hawk sighed. She still felt like her life had changed way too quickly, and now she was supporting the weight of a near-fallen Tribe. She wondered why Angeni hadn't entered the den yet. Sky's meow cut into her thoughts. "So...can you give me a personal account of how the Tribe of Striking Rivers fell apart?" she asked curiously.

Hawk was surprised, yet she was happy to have an opportunity for someone to understand her life. "It all started when the Tribe of Stormy Skies invaded our territory, because apparently they were short on prey," she said a bit sadly. My Tribe defended itself badly. Asura ended up taking a quarter of our territory we couldn't get back, no matter how hard we tried. One of my former Tribe members, Storm, was upset at this. She gave up trying to help the Tribe of Striking Rivers and left us for your Tribe." Sky's eyes were wide. "Storm? Brown and gray tabby?" she asked Hawk. When Hawk nodded, Sky told her, "She passed the test of loyalty, skill, and spirit. She's still living in this Tribe." Hawk looked disbelieving, but she continued with her story. "After Storm left, a few others decided she had good reason and also moved away. They hated that we had lost so easily, and they stopped being proud of the Tribe of Striking Rivers." Hawk sounded slightly choked. "It continued like that. One loss after another, and more and more cats left. I always believed that we could help ourselves, but no one else believed. All spirit faded from the Tribe. I still think of myself as a part of the Tribe of Striking Rivers, and I'm proud of it," Hawk finished, her voice wavering.

Sky was silent. Angeni walked into the den seconds after Hawk had finished explaining and said, "The Tribe still doesn't completely trust you, but they'll put up with it." Hawk stood up and stretched. "Sky is calmer now, so we can help with something." Angeni looked through the hole in the den roof. "Night is starting to fall. Maybe we should wait until tomorrow," she said, sounding exhausted. "I don't mind working at night," Hawk objected. Sky nodded in agreement and said to Angeni, "You can rest if you really need to. We'll find a way to help." Angeni sighed but didn't argue. She curled up in her nest and said sleepily, "We need to rebuild our defense, the camp, first. If you really want to work instead of sleep, find some good material to use." Angeni fell asleep quickly as Sky and Hawk left her den.

 _Angeni opened her eyes. She stood on a rocky hill, looking out on a nighttime scene. Stars glittered with the spirits of fallen cats. Angeni sighed as she wondered which ones were her warriors. Her brave, strong warriors who tried and failed to survive the curse put upon them. She hung her head with grief, unable to keep looking at the beautiful landscape before her. Suddenly, she heard a light, soft meow out of nowhere. "Angeni, we are with you. You are never without us." Angeni lifted her head. She gasped as she saw the silhouette of a great cat, almost invisible in the night. "Great Spirit..." whispered Angeni, her breath taken. "Why was my Tribe cursed? Am I a bad leader?" The outline of the Spirit approached Angeni, brushing against her. Angeni felt a cold, tingling feeling rush through her. "You're not a bad leader. You lead a great Tribe," the Spirit whispered back. Angeni looked up to the bright sky desperately. The stars glowed brighter with each passing moment. The moon was full. To Angeni, it was a picture of sadness. "Then why are we suffering like this? Why have you cursed us?" she said a little bit louder than before. The spirit-cat started to fade. Angeni was dragged down by unconsciousness, and the starry view vanished as everything went black._

"So, where should we start looking for material?" Sky asked. Hawk sniffed the air deeply. "There might be a good place just outside your territory," replied Hawk. She led Sky out of the camp while the other Tribe members started settling into sleep. Sky followed and fell into step beside Hawk. The grass under their paws became rock and grass again the farther they went. "Hawk, are you sure you-" Sky's meow was cut off as she gasped with wonder. A large forest stretched out in front of the two cats, with dense trees and short grass. Dead twigs and branches nearly covered the ground. Sky purred with happiness. "It's amazing! This is perfect building material!" she said excitedly, practically bouncing on her paws. "How did you even find this, Hawk?" Hawk purred. "I wasn't the best cat in my Tribe, but I could track very well," she mewed modestly. Sky looked up at the first appearing stars. "Thank you, Spirits," she whispered. Hawk knew Sky had explained that the Spirits had cursed the Tribe of Burning Clouds, but she didn't argue. Sky seemed overjoyed at the thought of improving the camp. Both cats gathered a bundle of leaves and twigs in their jaws and headed back toward camp. When they had returned, they set down their collection quietly, as the Tribe was asleep. Sky purred and mewed, "We have to show that area to Angeni tomorrow. Here, I'll build you a nest." She took some of the large leaves and entered the large den where all the Tribe members slept. Hawk thanked Sky after she built her a nest and curled up. _I've helped significantly so far. I'm truly making a difference in these cats' lives. I can barely believe it. Yesterday I was just a wandering loner. Now, I'm inspiring hopeless cats,_ thought Hawk. Sighing with happiness and excitement, Hawk let herself fall into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

"Wake up, you're the only cat still asleep," Hawk faintly heard as she felt a paw poke her in the side. She blinked her eyes several times, almost forgetting where she was. She looked up to see Sky standing over her. Hawk suddenly remembered the previous day, when she came to the Tribe of Burning Clouds. She remembered finding the forest with Sky that they were going to show to Angeni. Hawk jumped to her paws, wide awake. "What are we waiting for? We have a camp to work on!" she said excitedly. Sky meowed with laughter and left the den, Hawk right behind her. "Here, you haven't eaten. Take a piece of rabbit," Sky said suddenly, bringing Hawk some prey. "Do you want to share with me?" asked Hawk. Sky agreed and the two sat down together, tearing into the rabbit meat. When they were finished, Hawk said, "Let's go talk to Angeni now!" Sky happily meowed again, glad that Hawk was so enthusiastic. Angeni's golden shape stood out against the dry walls of the camp. Hawk and Sky approached her, noticing that she had a grim expression. Angeni saw the two looking excited and perked up. "Do you have good news?" she said. Sky looked like the happiest cat Hawk had ever seen. _Well, the Tribe was doomed until I came. She has a perfectly good reason to be happy,_ Hawk purred to herself. "We found a great place and things to rebuild with!" mewed Sky. Hawk nodded. "We'd love to show you where we found it," she said. Sky added, "There's trees and bushes and tall grass! It's perfect!" Angeni stretched and replied, "That's wonderful! Of course I'll come with you!" She summoned one of her warriors. "Storm! Hawk and Sky are taking me to see a place that could be useful to rebuild. I'm leaving you in charge," she called. A brown and gray she-cat nodded to Angeni as she studied Hawk.

Hawk shivered. She remembered telling Sky that Storm was the first to leave the Tribe of Striking Rivers after being terribly overpowered. Other cats felt ashamed, believed Storm was right, and also left. Eventually the Tribe became small, and the remaining members left. _I'm never leaving,_ thought Hawk. _I don't care what any cat says or does. I still believe in my Tribe's spirit._ Storm looked like she was about to say something to Hawk, but turned in the other direction. Hawk sighed as she started to lead the way back to the forest. As they walked, she could hear Sky telling Angeni about how they had found it. Hawk wasn't listening, though. She was thinking about the Tribe of Striking Rivers, as seeing Storm again had resurfaced old memories. _Am I insane for still being committed to a fallen Tribe? Where did my other Tribe members end up? Did any of them become loners like me?_ Hawk pushed the thoughts out of her mind and focused on what was important: rebuilding the camp and further helping the Tribe of Burning Clouds. The three cats reached the edge of the forest, and Angeni looked completely thrilled. "I never knew this was here!" she meowed with joy. Sky purred and started to look around for branches or grass they could use, leaving Hawk and Angeni alone. "Hawk, thank you. Without your skills, we would never have found this. I don't know how I can ever repay you," Angeni said happily to Hawk. She went to join Sky, and Hawk was left with her thoughts. _I guess I am pretty skilled. Helping this Tribe has given me a sort of purpose, I guess. I should thank Asura next time I see him._

Hawk helped Angeni and Sky gather some branches and leaves into a pile. Being the Tribe Healer, Angeni was able to roll the leaves into bundles that were easy to carry. "We brought back some things last night, so we have a good amount at the moment," Sky said. Angeni purred. "Let's get back to camp and start improving," she said in response. They returned to the broken-down camp to find another meeting of cats in the center clearing. "We're rebuilding the camp!" Angeni called to them. The cats looked surprised but didn't ask any questions. Each of them took a bundle of material and received instructions on what they should do. Hawk, Sky, and Storm were told to work on Angeni's den. As Hawk made sure the branches replacing the walls were steady and strong, she heard Storm speak to her. "So, Hawk...how have things been going for you?" she nervously asked. "I've been a loner for a long time, but I heard this Tribe was suffering," Hawk said with surprise. She went back to steadying the den walls, but she felt thick tension in the air. She was talking to someone she had a strong relationship with until the Tribe started falling apart. Hawk wondered what Storm thought of her now. _I'm still the same loyal cat she knew many moons ago. It's not my fault if she dislikes me at all. Storm has changed, which I can't control._ Hawk realized she was being illogical. Why would Storm hate her any more than she did in the past? Hawk's loyalty to the Tribe of Striking Rivers was not something to be hated for. Snapping out of her trance, Hawk noticed Sky weaving new branches into the den roof, leaving the hole in the middle. Hawk assumed Angeni liked having that hole there for some reason. She tied thick grass strands to the branches, giving the den more protection from bad weather. She glanced at Storm to see that she was working hard, although she looked troubled. Hawk decided she would try to talk to Storm again later. Work on the camp had taken most of the day, and the diligent warriors were exhausted when the moon started to rise. The camp was about a third of the way rebuilt. Hawk was impressed by the cats' eagerness to finally be doing something to improve their lives. As Hawk and Sky settled down to sleep in the Tribe's den, Hawk asked a question that had been on her mind all day. "Sky, why haven't you ever tried to rebuild before?" Sky sighed. "We couldn't find any useful material, and most of the warriors were very weak. They seem to be greatly inspired by your arrival, Hawk. Thank you so much for helping," Sky mewed, falling asleep. Hawk was starting to get used to the change in her life, and she knew that the Tribe of Burning Clouds was getting stronger each day because of her. _I'm also getting stronger,_ she thought as sleep overcame her.

Hawk woke just before sunrise. Stretching, she padded out of the den to find Storm watching the faint moon. "Hey, Storm. Can I talk to you?" Hawk said after hesitating. Storm turned around, replying, "Yes, go ahead." Hawk walked over to sit beside Storm. "Has anything been...bothering you lately? You seem a bit tense," Hawk said. Storm looked slightly angered. "No, there's nothing bothering me. It's just..." Storm trailed off, wondering how Hawk would react to the statement she was about to make. She glanced over and saw Hawk tilting her head slightly with curiosity. Storm stared at the ground. "Just...seeing you again has brought up some memories. Can you believe how badly our Tribe failed?" she said. Hawk definitely would not let her feelings show, but she was completely outraged. She knew she didn't have any right to be angry, and Storm was perfectly sensible with her opinions. Hawk wondered if she should tell Storm that she had always considered herself a member of the Tribe of Striking Rivers. "Are you alright?" asked Storm, seeing Hawk's conflicted expression. Hawk let out a deep sigh. "I...I still feel like I'm part of that Tribe, even though it fell apart a while ago. I'm only here because the Tribe of Burning Clouds needs a stronger cat in their midst, not that I'm calling anyone weak...plus, Asura told Angeni I would help. That's kind of a long story," Hawk finished awkwardly. Storm stared at her blankly. "Why do you still feel like a part of the Tribe of Striking Rivers?" she inquired. She was interested in Hawk's explanation, but there was some other feeling inside her she couldn't yet put a name to. "I believe that one defeat isn't a very good reason to leave a Tribe. We could have worked harder and built up our confidence again," said Hawk. "But how could we when the Tribe was so upset? Take me, for example. I completely lost myself because we couldn't defend our Tribe. That state of not knowing myself was what led me to move away," said Storm quietly. Hawk was skeptical. "You were one of many cats who believed we could never-" Hawk's sentence was cut off as Storm threw her to the ground. "What...why did you do that?!" Hawk gasped, knives of pain slicing through her. Storm said nothing, her eyes glinting evilly. "Storm, what are you doing?" yowled Hawk. She saw a golden flash and then Angeni attacking Storm. Hawk backed away from the Healer and warrior fighting and almost ran into Sky. "Hawk! What happened?" Sky exclaimed. "It must have been something I said! Storm and I were talking about our old Tribe and she knocked me over! It's good Angeni threw her off of me," Hawk responded, realizing she felt like she was on fire. "You're bleeding," Sky said worriedly, examining large cuts in Hawk's neck and shoulder. Hawk let herself be guided to Angeni's den, where she lay down and fell unconscious.

Hawk blinked awake to see Angeni treating her wounds. As she quickly sat up, she winced from the pain in her shoulder. "Lay back down," instructed Angeni. "Storm-what happened when-" Hawk panicked. Angeni interrupted her thought, saying, "Storm has been exiled. I believe her loyalty to the Tribe of Burning Clouds has somehow left her." Hawk thought about this. She had come to the Tribe to attempt to break the curse placed upon it, not to drive warriors away. Storm had seemed welcoming before, but something had made her turn on Hawk and Angeni. _I still think it was something I said,_ thought Hawk. Sky walked into the den. "Oh, good, you're awake," she mewed. Hawk's heart lightened at the sight of her friend. "Hello, Sky. How's rebuilding going?" she asked. Sky purred, happy to see Hawk was okay. "We're almost finished, actually. You were unconscious for a long time. It's almost sunset," she said casually. Hawk nodded and glanced at Angeni, who said, "You can go work if you want to. Just try not to reopen your cuts." Hawk thanked her and entered the clearing with Sky. Hawk was pleased with how great the camp looked. "This is a perfect improvement!" she exclaimed. She helped Sky finish up the roof on Angeni's den before the moon rose. Sky looked at Hawk and said, "You've probably heard this from Angeni, but you have a unique ability. How could you have detected things growing that far away?" Hawk replied, "I don't know. I guess it's just natural ability." Sky meowed with laughter. "Hey, we should go out for a walk. We won't have to work, and you won't irritate your cuts," she said to Hawk. The two friends set out to travel around the territory. They were fighting through long grass when the sun fully set. They broke out into an open clearing and saw the sky, a dark curtain dotted with specks of light. It was the most breathtaking thing Hawk had ever seen. Without warning, the stars disappeared. "Sky...?" Hawk whispered, frightened. She could no longer scent Sky, or anything else. She didn't know if she even existed anymore. There was a sudden, blinding flash of deep blue light, and Hawk lost the ability to think as she slipped into total darkness.


	7. Chapter 7

Sky shook herself. She seemed to be somewhere in the middle of her territory, but she wasn't sure. Everything looked really different for some reason. She wondered if she had fallen asleep. The sky was visible above her, and it was deep blue. Stars were starting to appear. Sky walked in a circle, trying to _figure_ out why she was so confused. _How can someone figure out the reason they're confused? It just doesn't make sense in a way,_ Sky thought, puzzling herself twice as much. She continued to pointlessly walk in _circles,_ thinking, _until_ she walked into a dark wall. _I don't think that was here before..._ The wall was made out of some sort of branch, tightly woven and sturdy. Sky examined the strange structure, padding around it. She noticed an opening in one of the sides. It looked like there was some kind of light source inside the structure, but Sky didn't see anything out of the ordinary. _Well, besides a random wall in the middle of my territory._

The pale gray she-cat wondered if she was even awake. _I certainly feel awake...but this makes no sense. And, where is Hawk?_ Sky hadn't seen Hawk since everything went black, and she had no idea how long ago that even was. "Hawk?" she called out tentatively. There was no sign of the golden-brown warrior. Sky went back to inspecting the structure. She realized that the light source was a small, bright, golden ball of light. Sky felt slightly comforted by the presence of light in this darkness. She looked up to the stars. _The Spirits are here, too. But what's going on?_ Sky looked down and studied the ground next. It didn't seem as different as the altered territory...a flash of blue caught her eye. Sky blinked and looked around again. The ground was illuminated by sparkling rocks Sky had never seen before. Most of them were silver and blue, but some looked like a sunrise. "I'm definitely dreaming," Sky said to herself, hearing a meow that didn't sound like hers. She was so full of wonder and excitement that her voice sounded incorrect.

Sky continued to wander around. She felt slightly sad because of the way the beautiful stones reflected the starlight. It was just too amazing to influence much happiness. _Great Spirits...what's happening? Where am I?_ Sky thought desperately. Suddenly, another flash caught her eye. This flash, unlike the others, was several colors. Sky closed her eyes and let the gold, silver, and blue of the light sink into her mind. Again, she wondered what in the Spirit World was going on. Everything around her slowly became alive with a golden-red glow. A deep, soft, gentle meow sounded behind Sky. "I have the answers to your questions. Let me guide you." Sky whipped around quickly, startled, wondering who else was here with her in this strange world that defied reality. But, instead of another cat, Sky only saw darkness.

"Sky? Sky, are you alright?" The gray warrior felt herself being gently shaken back into reality. "Angeni...what...Hawk!" Sky said, her thoughts slightly foggy. "Where's Hawk?" Angeni stared at her with concern. "I haven't seen her around. What happened?" Sky ignored the question and blinked, finally noticing where she was. She was still in the clearing she had traveled to with Hawk. The sun was just starting to rise. "Angeni, what do you think happened?" Sky asked her Healer. Angeni glanced up at the sky. "Around sunset last night, you and Hawk went out for a walk. You weren't back by moonhigh, so I came looking for you. I found you asleep here, but no sign of Hawk. What do you remember, Sky?" Angeni mewed. Sky sighed deeply. "We emerged into this clearing and had a great view of the stars. Then..." She trailed off, wondering if she should tell Angeni about her dreamlike place. _She needs to know. It could somehow be useful information._ "Then I saw the stars go out. There was no light, and I couldn't find Hawk. I fell unconscious and woke up in a dream. There was a wall, and stars and lights and glittery rocks..." Sky trailed off again, hoping Angeni would understand that she didn't want to go into much detail.

Angeni nodded. "So we don't know where Hawk is. She wasn't in the dream with you?" Sky thought for a moment. She had heard a voice, but it sounded unfamiliar. "No, I don't think she was there," Sky replied to Angeni. "Well, we should get back to camp. We can figure out what to do from there," Angeni said after a moment of silence. Sky nodded agreement, getting up from the ground. _Hawk, where are you?_ she wondered. _I hope you're okay. You've given the Tribe of Burning Clouds inspiration for the first time ever. Please come back. We need you._ Sky sniffed the ground, trying to catch a trace of Hawk's scent. She sighed, having only scented a rabbit. It took her a moment to realize her luck. _A rabbit! Actual prey!_ she thought excitedly. The Tribe of Burning Clouds hadn't had much prey since they were cursed. Sky raced away from Angeni's side, following the rabbit's scent. Angeni gave her a puzzled look and stayed where she was. Sky saw the brown creature looking alert, listening to try to find its predator. She quietly stalked the rabbit, keeping herself crouched low in the tall grass. When she was close enough, Sky pounced, swiftly killing her prey. She triumphantly brought it back to Angeni. "I couldn't sense Hawk, but I found this!"

"That's great! I've never seen a rabbit that big!" Angeni said just as happily. _We don't have Hawk, but at least we have food,_ Sky thought. She and Angeni carried the rabbit back to camp together. Sky purred at the Tribe members' reactions. One elderly tom said, "This will almost feed the whole Tribe!" The cats happily gathered around the prey to share. "Where's Hawk?" a ginger apprentice asked, looking up at Sky. Sky glanced at Angeni, who nodded. Sky sighed and retold the whole story to the Tribe, still leaving out full details on the dream. Her anxious feeling of sadness grew even more as she saw the expressions on the cats' faces. "No cat needs to be worried," Angeni said quietly to the shocked Tribe. "Hawk is a great warrior and can handle any bad situation." Sky looked up into Angeni's eyes, even more worried. _Angeni, you and I are the two cats here who know Hawk the best. Let's just hope you're right,_ Sky silently said to the leader. Angeni stared back at Sky, her eyes also showing worry. Sky looked around as she realized there was also fear to be sensed in the wise cat. She scented the panic of a warrior outside the camp. Angeni was on her paws, staring intently at the camp entrance. Suddenly, a powerful black cat staggered into the camp. Open wounds covered much of his pelt, blood dripping onto the ground. The newcomer took a deep breath and said, "The Tribe of Stormy Skies has been attacked!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry it's been forever since I last updated, I've been working on my other stories. Chapters will probably get shorter from here, but I'll try to update more often. Thank you for reviewing, and I hope you continue to like this story!**

Sky stared in shock at the wounded newcomer. He looked broken, with a horrified look in his eyes and a bristling, bloody pelt. "Asura! What happened...and why are you here?" said Angeni. Sky recognized the name. Asura was the Healer of the Tribe of Stormy Skies. So why was he in the Tribe of Burning Clouds' territory? "I...I need your help. I...know your Tribe...has been suffering..." Asura trailed off, looking defeated. Angeni's eyes were wide with shock. "You've never needed help before! Your Tribe is strong and well defended! And, I thought you had enough dignity to help yourself!" Sky winced slightly at Angeni's words. A weak Tribe leader had just came asking for assistance, and Angeni may have just insulted him. The Tribes _were_ rivals, of course, but the Tribe of Stormy Skies must be in chaos. Asura looked hurt, even more so than he already did. "Just..." He trailed off again, before he could even finish a thought. He shook himself a bit, obviously causing him great pain. "Where is Hawk?" he asked when he recovered. Angeni glanced at Sky before replying, "We don't know. She seems to have disappeared somewhere." Angeni's expression went from agitated to confused. "Why are you looking for Hawk?" she asked. Asura did not respond.

After more confusion and shock, Angeni agreed to help Asura, at least a little bit. She took him into her den to clean his wounds. Sky sighed, wondering what else could possibly happen. Lost in thought, she jumped as a cat meowed next to her, echoing her thoughts. "I wonder what else could go wrong...maybe Hawk is the only one who can break the curse, and now that she's missing..." He sounded like he was talking to himself, but he was looking at Sky. She turned her head, meeting the other cat's gaze. He had a sleek brown pelt and dark eyes. _Timber._ "I don't know...can curses be broken by a single cat?" Sky said, staring at something she couldn't see. Timber shrugged. "Maybe she's special. She gave us hope when nothing else could. She _is_ hope..." he said thoughtfully. Sky looked at him suspiciously, wondering if he somehow knew Hawk's backstory. _Wait a moment..._ Something came together in Sky's mind. _That's why Hawk still believes in the Tribe of Striking Rivers. She always had hope, and she still does. Maybe her Tribe is fallen, but she isn't. Most of the cats that were part of that Tribe are either loners, like Hawk was, or dead. But Hawk still strongly believes in life. She realizes there are still possibilities, even without a Tribe. She has hope. She gave us hope. She_ is _hope._

"Sky? Are you alright?" Timber said, making Sky jump again. "Yeah...I'm fine..." Sky said with an urgent tone. She quickly padded away from Timber, leaving him confused. She entered Angeni's den, where the golden leader was still treating Asura. "Angeni, I want to go look for Hawk again," Sky said, barely thinking about what she was doing. _We need her. She is hope. She is hope._ Angeni studied Sky, eventually nodding. "Be back by moonrise, and don't fall asleep. I admit that I'm really worried," she said, glancing around her den. Sky nodded back. It was almost sunhigh. _Maybe I can hunt a little bit,_ Sky thought. But, in her heart, she didn't feel like hunting. The Tribe was fed well enough, and Hawk was important. _She is hope. She is hope._ Timber's statement kept repeating in Sky's head, making itself more and more believable each time. _Hope._

Sky left the camp, sniffing around for any sign of Hawk. Eventually, she simply let her paws carry her away from the camp, hoping she could find Hawk better half-consciously. Sky had barely thought since she realized how important her friend was. She forced a thought into herself. _Hawk needs to be found, or she needs to come back from wherever she is. Everyone in the Tribe of Burning Clouds needs her. Maybe even the Tribe of Stormy Skies needs her._ She had no idea why, but the thoughts scared her. A rush of anxiety shook her, nearly throwing her off balance. _Why does every cat seem to need her?!_ Sky forced herself to stop walking and took deep breaths, trying not to panic. _Why is she so important? How? What is going on?_ "Hawk..." she called out without thinking. Her chest started to ache. Maybe Hawk _was_ the only possible answer to the curse. Maybe she truly was the living embodiment of hope. Adrenaline, born from Sky's fear, powered her. She kept moving forward with the hope that she would find some sign of her friend. Another thought made its way to the front of Sky's mind. _Maybe life isn't really built upon pride. Maybe it's hope that creates pride, and maybe that's why Hawk is proud to have survived the collapsing of a Tribe. Maybe she's the only one that realizes..._ Sky breathed deeply again and continued to search, feeling a strange kind of power she'd never felt before.


	9. Chapter 9

Sky eventually found herself at the edge of her territory. She sighed. She had already explored every area of the territory, and the was still no trace of Hawk. _Cats don't just vanish. She had to go somewhere. She's still around here somewhere. She has to be here somewhere..._ Sky was starting to get really confused by her friend's disappearance. It seemed very unnatural. Hawk had been there, laying next to Sky, and then she wasn't. There wasn't even any scent to follow. _Great Spirits..._ Sky thought in desperation. She didn't understand what was happening. She hated feeling like that.

With a deep breath, Sky walked onto unknown land. She looked up. There wasn't much time until the sun started to set, and Angeni wanted to ensure her warriors' safety. _I could be back by moonrise. Angeni doesn't have to worry._ Despite the thought, Sky felt that her leader had every reason to worry. She didn't bother to go over the list of curses in her head again. She padded down a grassy hill, wondering if she was leaving the mountains. No cat had dared to venture far outside the territories before. However, Sky believed she would do anything for Hawk. Although she didn't know where she was, Sky still believed in herself, and she believed she would find Hawk.

The smell of another cat's sudden appearance sent a feeling like sharp claws through Sky. She hadn't thought about what she would do if she encountered a stranger. She crept over the grass to the bottom of the hill, where there were some clusters of bushes she could take cover in. Sky quickly glanced around and ran toward the nearest bush, hiding inside it. She heard a distant rustling. The other cat must be emerging from another bush in the large field. Sky felt the cat coming closer to her bush. She knew she could fight if she had to, but she wanted to avoid it if possible...

"Sky? What are you doing out here?" Sky heard a voice say behind her. She jumped, making the bush rustle loudly. Struggling, she pulled herself out of the branches and turned to face the cat. It was a she-cat, and she looked rather familiar. The gray patches on her pelt stood out against the brown. Sky looked at her face. There was a large scar above the she-cat's bright blue eyes. Sky realized where this cat was from and wondered why she didn't remember. "Storm!" Sky said after stopping to think. She could recall everything that had happened now, distracted from Hawk. This was the loner from the Tribe of Striking Rivers who had joined the Tribe of Burning Clouds. "Why are you this far out of the territory?" Storm questioned again. Sky shook herself. "Hawk...we don't know where she is. She sort of disappeared," she said, trying not to put Storm in a hostile mood. Storm scoffed. "Maybe she ran away. Maybe she wanted to go chat with the Spirits about her dead Tribe," she said with a tone of anger. "She wouldn't do that," Sky growled, turning away. "She's still helping to improve the Tribe."

Sky started to move across the field, trying to push away the thoughts of Storm. "What hope do you have that you'll find her?" Storm called after Sky, making her stiffen. Turning around, she said angrily, "Hawk _is_ hope! I will find her, no matter what it takes!" Sky started to walk away again, even faster now. She believed what she had said, and what Timber had said. Sky wondered again if Timber knew anything about Hawk's life. She sighed, leaving the field behind and padding across stone again. The sun was starting to set, and Sky was still very far away from camp. She sighed again, weary.

Mixed feelings battled inside Sky, making her even more tired. She hated how emotion could burn someone from the inside. Not too long ago, she had felt free and happy. Now, she was more troubled than ever. Sky longed to just lay down and rest where she was. She didn't want to feel anything at all at that moment. Her paws started to tremble with exhaustion. _I can't fall asleep out here...Angeni warned me not to...I have to get back...I shouldn't have gone this far..._ Sky thought, yawning. She walked as fast as she could in the direction of the camp, hoping the cool air would give her a rush of energy. She stumbled over a loose rock and fell, panting. Sky closed her eyes, feeling sleep drag her into darkness. _I can't...fall asleep..._ she thought, forcing herself to get back up. If she fell asleep, she could end up like Hawk, waking up somewhere else with no sign of her left. "Hope. Hope. Hope," Sky repeated to herself as she struggled to get home.

Sky let out a small sigh of relief when she saw land she recognized. It was past moonrise, and Sky started to worry about Angeni. What felt like seasons later, Sky staggered through the camp entrance. Angeni was there waiting for her, her eyes wide with anxiety. Sky saw her as a faint golden blur. She was so exhausted she believed she was about to faint. "Are you alright?" she heard through the ringing in her ears. "Went too far...exhausted...sorry..." Sky managed to choke out. Angeni placed her tail across Sky's shoulders, steadying her. Angeni guided Sky to the den, pausing when she stumbled and fell again. She forced herself to get back up again. _Hope...almost there..._ Sky finally let herself collapse into a nest, still panting. She felt a strong cat lay down next to her just before she allowed sleep to take over her.


	10. Chapter 10

**I haven't updated any of my stories in about a thousand years, I've had less time than usual lately. I'll try harder to keep updates frequent. Thanks for reading!**

Sky woke around sunhigh. As soon as she opened her eyes, she started to cough violently. A faint sense of shock and fear settled over her. When the Tribe of Burning Clouds was weaker, sickness spread rapidly through the cats. For some odd reason, Sky had never caught the awful disease. She'd had a few colds in her life, but this was the first time she had ever really felt sick.

Timber's scent was fresh around Sky. She remembered that she had vaguely felt someone curl up next to her the previous night. _I'll go find Timber,_ she thought. _Then I should probably let Angeni check my sickness, or whatever it is._ Sky coughed again as she shakily stood up. Her vision was hazy, and she could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Suddenly very worried about her condition, Sky forced herself to ignore the sickness and walk out of the den. She spotted Timber eating a small mouse on the other side of the clearing. She slowly limped over to him, feeling like she was made out of stones.

"How are you feeling?" Timber asked casually once Sky reached him. There was an anxious look in his eyes. Sky sighed, which took effort, and replied, "This is the worst I've ever felt." Her mew came out sounding desperate and choked, and her heartbeat felt quick and unsteady. _Is this what sickness normally feels like?! How could any cat live through this?!_ Sky thought in a panic. She remembered the next few moments as flashes of color and blackness. She felt herself collapse against Timber, and a numb feeling spread through her entire body. The next thing she was aware of was Angeni looking down at her with faint curiosity.

"What's with that look in your eyes? What's so interesting about sickness?" Sky snapped, suddenly feeling angry. Angeni winced slightly, but responded with a steady voice. "This kind of sickness doesn't happen often. I'm just wondering how you got it." Sky sighed with exasperation. "I exhausted myself. Last night I went too far looking for Hawk and I came back feeling awful," she said defensively. She didn't understand why she felt the need to be defensive in the first place. _Maybe it's part of the sickness. I still don't understand how some kinds of sickness aren't lethal._

Angeni lightly brushed a paw across Sky's side. She continued to examine Sky, muttering to herself with that same look of wonder. Sky felt exhausted. She wasn't sure if this was normal illness at all. Most sick cats weren't seen limping around, coughing violently, and being terrified. Sky glanced around the den, realizing Asura was still there, his nose buried in his tail. She didn't feel like wondering more about what had happened to him. With a deep sigh, she let herself drift off to sleep again while Angeni continued to work.

...

Timber paced around the center of the camp, worrying about Sky. She didn't look okay at all. He closed his eyes, unexpectedly recalling memories. Him playing with Sky as a kit, challenging her to jump higher than he could. Him and Sky in warrior training, their mentors telling them to practice fighting each other. Him supporting Sky to Angeni's den, her breaths fast and heavy against his side. Timber wondered why he remembered certain things now. When he was younger, he had never really taken notice of Sky. _But,_ he thought, _now that she could be in danger...her life could be in danger..._ Timber refused to keep thinking like this. It was probably just anxiety. He shook himself and padded into the den to lay down for a while.

The brown warrior found a row of spare nests in the back of the den, constructed from the materials used to rebuild. He sighed, stretching himself out across one of them. As he started to let his mind wander, he heard a voice behind him. "Are you worried about Sky?" Timber turned around. His littermate, Hail, was standing nearby and watching curiously. Hail was a cream colored tom with brown ears, paws, and tail. Timber liked to think Hail's unusual pelt made him unique. "Yes, I'm worried. No cat has ever been that sick before, at least not that I've heard of," Timber replied, staring at the ground a paw-length away from his nose.

Hail flicked his tail across Timber's ear in a friendly way. "Maybe we could go hunting together? We would be helping the Tribe, and it's something else to focus on," Hail said. Timber got to his paws. He believed Hail, always putting others before himself, was the best brother any cat could have. "Sure, I'd like that," Timber said, following Hail out of the den. Clearing his mind, Timber thought, _Once in a while, it's a great thing to be distracted from life..._


	11. Chapter 11

"Come on, Hail, walk faster!" Timber purred, practically bouncing out of the camp. "Why are you suddenly so excited to hunt?" Hail meowed with amusement. Timber shrugged. He was just relieved that he could tear his mind away from everything that had happened and be with his brother. Hail suddenly perked up, sniffing the air. "Rabbit!" he said, looking at Timber excitedly. Timber laughed, following Hail as he started to move slowly across the dirt.

The rabbit came into view, scuffling around wildly. Timber was about to try scaring the prey toward Hail, but it suddenly moved to look at the two cats. All three creatures froze, the cats wondering how they had forgotten to make sure the prey didn't notice them. The rabbit simply looked curious, as if it wasn't afraid of strange animals four times larger than it. Hail glanced over at Timber and leaped toward the rabbit, setting a paw on its neck to trap it.

The rabbit's expression didn't change. It still looked up with wonder, making Timber very confused. He stepped forward to join Hail. "Doesn't prey normally try to escape from predators...?" Hail said, examining the unmoving rabbit. The rabbit suddenly wriggled away from Hail's paws and slowly hopped away. Timber felt like the world was upside down. "Maybe it was a very old rabbit...?" he said hesitantly, not believing it. Hail shook his head. "It looked young and strong." Timber glanced around, wondering if anything else was unusual. Unexpectedly, he felt pounding in his head. He stiffened, wondering if he had caught Sky's horrible illness. Thinking only made his head hurt more, so he stared at the ground.

As quickly as it had come, the pain left Timber. He felt different, but he couldn't figure out how. Hail was looking at his littermate in alarm. "Wh-what happened? Are you alright?" he asked with worry. "Yes," Timber whispered. Out of the corners of his eyes he saw Hail shiver. "Yes, I'm fine. Now, let's go hunt," Timber continued. Hail looked at him skeptically but started on another scent trail.

...

Sky woke to find herself covered in leaves. Existing felt painful. Slowly, she lifted her head to look at Angeni. She was still trying to cure Sky and help Asura. Angeni noticed that Sky was awake. "Sky. How are you feeling?" she asked. Her tone sounded positive, but something clouded her eyes. Sky let out a small sigh. "Painful. And why are there leaves all over me?" she asked, hearing herself as if from far away.

Whatever was revealing the worry in Angeni's eyes grew stronger. "You...you started bleeding. Did you have any dreams while you were asleep?" The Healer suddenly sounded weak. Sky's heart leapt with anxiety when she heard the word "bleeding". She thought hard, but she couldn't recall a dream. "No, it was dreamless," she answered. "Hmm," said Angeni. Sky laid her head down again, starting to fall asleep again.

She was about to fall asleep when she heard the sound of many cats exclaiming. Asura pulled himself to his paws and limped out of the Healer's den. Angeni rushed out to see what was happening. Sky slowly walked out of the den, trying to ignore her sickness. Every cat in the Tribe of Burning Clouds was staring at Timber and Hail, who had just come back from hunting. Hail was holding two mice in his jaws. A third was being carried on his back. Timber had a rabbit and a large bird Sky didn't recognize.

"Prey!" breathed Angeni. The Tribe hadn't been well-fed in many, many moons. It was a miracle to see this much food in one place. Sky looked at Timber happily, then realized he didn't look excited like the rest of the Tribe. Was something bothering him? Sky decided that once she was a bit more rested, she would find out. She staggered back to Angeni's den and fell asleep, waiting for the healing that would surely come.

...

 _Hawk breathed deeply. She vaguely noticed that her feelings of anxiety were growing immensely. She peered into the surrounding darkness, watching. Waiting. She couldn't figure out what it was she was waiting for. She just knew she was waiting. Hawk looked around again, her eyes suddenly meeting the eyes of another cat. They glowed bright red. Hawk shivered with fear._


End file.
